First Thing: Trump-backed Ken Paxton ousts John Cornyn in Texas primary

Paxton’s win, despite his history of scandals, signals the president’s enduring grip over the state. Plus, one sex educator on why she doesn’t define sex at all• Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Ken Paxton, the scandal-ridden Texas attorney general who was backed by Donald Trump, beat the incumbent, John Cornyn, in the Republican primary runoff for senator, signaling how much sway the president still has in the deep red state.And Paxton’s new opponent? As a Democrat, Talarico faces long odds in Texas, but he has built a groundswell of popularity through his message of peace and populism. Ahead of the primary, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, a former Democratic candidate for the Senate and a partner at Ascend Strategy Labs, a social justice consulting firm in